People have been travelling since time immemorial either for business reasons and others for exploration. The Muslim community as well has not been left behind and they are as well marking their space in this industry. But this is the issue, most of them want to lead a halal lifestyle. However, most travel agencies and destinations do not even have the slightest idea of what a halal lifestyle is all about. To fix this challenge, the halal tourism industry is gaining ground to ensure that the travelers do not compromise their faith while travelling. A halal lifestyle is all about value-driven life and that is what halal travel seeks to accomplish.

What is halal travel?

Different people try to define halal travel using different terms but at the moment there is no universal definition. What is permissible in one area may be prohibited in another area. For instance, there are some people who will dine at a place that serves alcoholic drinks while others can never eat in such a place. The best phrase to use when it comes travelling is halal friendly travel because people have varying definitions. The following are some of the important aspects that make a travel halal

Hotels

Even though there are hotels that serve those who profess Islamic faith alone, there are others that make it possible for Muslims to enjoy their time. The latter is what we call a ‘Halal friendly’ hotel. Such a hotel can provide praying facilities for Muslims to ensure that they keep in touch with their creator. Some facilities like swimming pools will differ from one place to the other. In some countries, women can swim freely with men while in others the facilities must be different. Some hotels may also have Qurans in bedrooms but it is not a must.

Financing

Some travels can be expensive to cater for and you may require external help. You may involve travel agencies and this is where the question of halal dealings arises. The ideal agency should engage in dealings that are value driven to make them halal. The agency should not overcharge or discriminate against you based on your background or financial status. All the costs and dealings should be transparent to enable you to plan in advance. In fact, it should follow the principles of Islamic Finance as they bring fairness and equity in dealings. It is also important to engage in permissible activities to make your travel halal.

The means of transport

There are no defined means of transport that a person who needs to lead a halal lifestyle should use. However, some companies make the experience halal friendly by providing facilities like praying mats for those on board. The issue of the type of food served for instance when taking a flight will depend on your personal preferences or your background. There are some that will board flights that serve alcoholic beverages while others will not. The question of who should drive the vehicle also depends on the region and laws of the area.

There are a lot of myths within the halal travel industry and you should be able to debunk them. Remember that what you consider as permissible might be not be allowed in another area. Do some basic research to ensure that you have a great experience during all your travels.